Anytime
by deans-pudding
Summary: Rachel is left heartbroken after Finn ends their relationship. Puck tries to pick up the pieces and wedge himself into her life to help. Set after the epidsode "Special Education". Rated T for slight language.
1. Chapter 1

**Set after the episode "Special Education" where Finn breaks up with Rachel for making out with Puck for revenge. I'll probably use at least one song in each chapter, so just a warning! Only my second fanfic, but I do plan on continuing this and making multiple chapters! Disclaimer: Obviously I own nothing. The songs used also do not belong to me and are "Here We Go Again" by Demi Lovato and "You're So Damn Hot" by Ok Go.**

Rachel Berry was not one to take things lightly, and when Finn ended their relationship, she was more than heartbroken. He looked so hurt and disappointed. She had never planned on this to happen. Her simple actions of payback had backfired in the most horrible way possible. The fact that it was all her fault only intensified her pain. Now she was alone, feeling the worst she had ever felt in her life.

She went to the girls' restroom, locked herself in a stall, and let the hot tears roll down her cheeks. Her sobs filled the empty silence of the restroom. The final bell rang, indicating the end of the school day, but Rachel didn't care. She stayed in the stall and cried until she felt as if she couldn't cry anymore. Finally, when she had calmed herself down, Rachel decided to leave the restroom to head home.

When she entered the hallway of McKinley High, the halls were empty. She looked at the clock hanging on the wall. 4:15? Had she really been in there that long? The school buses had already left the school, which was her usual transportation home. Rachel sighed heavily and grabbed her backpack from her locker. She decided to simply walk home. Her day had been bad enough, and she wasn't worried about getting home on time. She just needed to leave.

Rachel walked out of the parking lot and headed home. Not too long after she had left the school, she heard the rumble of a truck pulling up to her. Her head whipped to the left, only to see a smirking Noah Puckerman sitting in his truck next to her. He pushed his passenger side door open. Rachel just stood on the sidewalk, confused by the gesture.

"Well, do you want a ride home or not, Berry?" Puck asked with frustration. Rachel gave him a questioning look. Was he really offering to give her a ride home? "Ugh. If you're not gonna get in, then I'm leaving." He reached over to shut the door. Before he could grab it, Rachel jumped in, slammed the door shut, and buckled her seatbelt. Puck took off towards her house.

A few minutes went by before Rachel broke the silence. "Noah, why are you doing this? I'm not sure I understand why you're being nice to me."

Puck chuckled. "What? I can't just be nice for no reason?" Rachel raised her eyebrows at him. "Finn told me he dumped you today, and I just happened to see you walking home after school. Figured you were having a bad day, thought I might be able to help a little."

The surprise was obvious in Rachel's voice when she spoke. "I'm shocked, Noah. You're not usually one to act randomly on kindness. Though stunning, it's quite flattering."

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it." Puck kept a stern look on the road, while Rachel sat silent next to him in the cab. It was just like him to act this way. He never was one to show his true feelings or take a compliment like that, unless it happened to be commenting on his physique.

The truck screeched to a stop next to the curb in front of Rachel's house. She thanked Puck quietly for the ride home, and then grabbed her backpack and slid out of the truck. As she shut the door, she pondered what his true intentions were for giving her a ride home. Maybe he truly was just being kind. She walked up to her front door and unlocked it. She pushed the door open and turned to wave to Puck who was still sitting in his truck in the street. Once he saw that she was in her house, he sped off.

Rachel went upstairs to her room and dropped her bag on the floor. It was then that she saw the picture of Finn and her sitting on her nightstand next to her bed. They looked so happy and in love. She picked up the picture and stared at it with a smile on her face. The tears came without warning, and Rachel put the reminder of her relationship with Finn face-down on her nightstand. She fell onto her bed, crying into her pillow. Her guilt flowed back into her. Thoughts raced around in her head. She felt so bad for doing this to Finn, and also, to Puck. She shouldn't have dragged him into this. She used him for revenge against Finn. She couldn't believe that she had gone that far, just to prove a point to him. Rachel's mind surged with thoughts of her times with Finn as she slipped into the depths of sleep.

The loud buzzing of Rachel's alarm clock rang in her ears, until she switched it off. Feeling unlike her usual perky self, she crawled out of bed and struggled through her morning routine. She dragged herself down to the bus stop, where she contemplated going back inside and skipping school for the day. She could convince her dads to let her stay home if she really wanted to, but decided against it, for she didn't want to flaw her perfect attendance.

The big yellow bus arrived, and as it did, Rachel sighed and climbed aboard. Along with the rest of the high school students on the bus, Rachel walked off the bus and headed towards the halls of McKinley. Although the pain of her break up with Finn still lingered, she had started to feel somewhat better. That is, until she saw him coming down the hall. Of course, she couldn't look away. Her heart ached with sorrow when their eyes connected as he looked away with disgust. She held back tears as she reached into her locker. It was times like this that Rachel wished she had a close friend to confide in. The only friend she had that she was remotely close to was Kurt, and he had transferred to Dalton Academy.

Just before she closed her locker, she noticed all the little reminders of her relationship with Finn hanging on the inside. Without thinking, Rachel pulled them all down from the inside of her locker, and threw them in the trash. She shut her locker, and then went on throughout her day.

Once it got to time for glee club, Rachel actually dreaded going, which was unusual for her. Instead of acting depressed and sad, she put on a brave face and took a seat in the choir room. She could feel Finn's eyes on her when she came in, but she ignored him.

Mr. Schuester walked in and addressed the club. "First of all, I'd like to congratulate everyone for a great job at Sectionals! And since Christmas break is coming up soon, I don't see too much sense in giving you guys assignments for the week until after we come back. But I do expect you all to have at least one song prepared to sing for the next two weeks, whether it is a solo or ensemble piece. We do still need to find songs to sing at Regionals."

Rachel spoke up, already having a song she wanted to sing to the club. "Mr. Schue, I have a song I would like to sing." He gestured for her to take his place as he sat down. She told the band what to play, and the music started. Rachel steals a glance at Finn, then begins to sing.

_**I throw all of your stuff away, then I clear you out of my head. I tear you out of my heart, and ignore all your messages. I tell everyone we are through, 'cause I'm so much better without you. But it's just another pretty lie, 'cause I break down. Every time you come around, oh oh!**_

_**So how did you get here under my skin? I swore that I'd never let you back in. Should've known better than trying to let you go. 'Cause he we go, go, go again. Hard as I try I know I can't win. Something about you is so addictive. We're falling together, you'd think that by now I'd know. 'Cause here we go, go, go again.**_

As she sings these words, Rachel starts to feel better, knowing that sings is her way of venting her emotions. Finn's eyes are on her constantly, and she's not sure whether she likes it or not.

_**You never know what you want, and you never say what you mean. But I start to go insane, every time that you look at me. You only hear half of what I say, and you're always showing up too late. And I know that I should say goodbye, but it's no use. Can't be with or without you, oh oh!**_

_**So how did you get here under my skin? I swore that I'd never let you back in. Should've known better than trying to let you go. 'Cause he we go, go, go again. Hard as I try I know I can't win. Something about you is so addictive. We're falling together, you'd think that by now I'd know. 'Cause here we go, go, go again.**_

_**And again, and again, and again!**_

Rachel still feels the ache of her pain, but she knows that she'll get better in time. And singing her heart out was definitely helping her situation.

_**I throw all of your stuff away, then I clear you out of my head. I tear you out of my heart, oh oh, oh oh!**_

_**So how did you get here under my skin? I swore that I'd never let you back in. Should've known better than trying to let you go. 'Cause he we go, go, go again. Hard as I try I know I can't win. Something about you is so addictive. We're falling together, you'd think that by now I'd know. 'Cause here we go, go.**_

_**Here we go again! Here we go again!**_

_**Should've known better than trying to let you go. 'Cause here we go, go, go again.**_

_**Again and again…**_

As she finished the song, the rest of the glee club all clapped for her, except for Finn. He just looked at her with a pained look on his face. Rachel felt that that song was the final nail in the coffin of their relationship. While she didn't want it to end, in her heart she knew that Finn would never get over her cheating on him with Puck. Quinn had done that already, and while he may have forgiven her, he had definitely not forgotten it. Though it hurt and wasn't easy, she knew this was for the best. She needed to move on and focus on Regionals.

Rachel had taken her seat, and the club had gone to its usual chatting. She pulled out her books and began to work on her other homework from classes. Before she had even began writing, she heard Puck speak up.

"Hey, Mr. Schue, is it cool if I sing something? I think it might be pretty good." Before Mr. Schuester had even given an answer, Puck had an electric guitar around his shoulder, ready to play. The glee club director nodded with confusion. Puck told the band the song, and he started it.

_**I saw you sliding out the bar, I saw you slipping out the back door, baby. Don't even try and find a line this time, it's fine. Darling, you're still divine.**_

_**You don't love me at all, but don't think that it bothers me at all. You're a bad-hearted boy-trap, babydoll, but you're… You're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Oh.**_

_**So now you're headed to your car. You say it's dinner with your sister, sweetie. But darling look at how you're dressed. Your best suggests another kind of guest.**_

_**You don't love me at all, but don't think that it bothers me at all. You're a bad-hearted boy-trap, babydoll, but you're… You're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Oh.**_

_**So who's this other guy you've got? Which other rubes are riding hot-shot, sugar? I could have swore you said before, "No more, for sure." What'd I believe you for?**_

_**You don't love me at all, but don't think that it bothers me at all. You're a bad-hearted boy-trap, babydoll, but you're… You're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot. Yeah, you're so damn hot.**_

"Thank you, Puck, for that interesting song choice. Though, I don't think the judges would think that was a very appropriate song for a show choir competition. Nonetheless, good job." Mr. Schuester and the rest of the glee kids clapped as Puck took his seat.

Throughout the whole song, Rachel noticed Puck had paid special attention to her, giving her little winks and smiling. She brushed it off, thinking he was just putting on a good show.

The rest of the class time rolled on slowly as Rachel focused on her homework. The ending bell rang, but before Puck could leave the choir room, she pulled him aside.

"Berry, what do you want?" Puck pulled his arm away as she spoke.

"I never got to apologize for using you for revenge against Finn. It was a low and shallow move on my part, and I should have never acted in such a manner."

Puck raised an eyebrow at this. "Berry, did you think that I just let you make out with me? I knew you wanted to piss off Finn. And at first, I was cool with it, because you _are_ a hot Jew, but then I felt guilty about doing it to him for a second time. Turns out I do have a conscience." He started to turn away from her. "Now I've got a run. See ya later."

Was it just her, or had he actually made it through a conversation without trying to make a joke about her? It seemed he did have a conscience. Aside from calling her a "hot Jew", they actually had a normal conversation.

Rachel walked out of the choir room and headed to the bus stop, not wanting to miss her bus again. As she stepped onto it, she couldn't help but think about how strange Puck had been acting lately. She contemplated his actions as the bus pulled away from the school, leaving her to her thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm glad you guys liked the first chapter of my fic! I'll try to update it as much as possible and as quickly as possible. Writing takes time, so be patient! Oh, and the story will most likely be in Rachel's POV throughout, unless I feel the need to have a chapter in Puck's POV for some reason. Hope you guys like!  
>Disclaimer: Glee is not my property. Duh. The songs are also not mine. The songs used are "I See the Light" from Tangled, "Open Arms" by Journey, <strong>

Rachel arrived to school the next day in her usual attire, feeling much better than she had yesterday. Her attitude had improved greatly. She went on about her day in her usual manner. When she arrived to the choir room, she was surprised to see that Noah Puckerman was sitting in the seat next to her usual one, which was Finn's old seat. That is, until he moved to the back row, as far as possible from Rachel's seat. She took her seat and had planned on sitting there quietly, but her curiosity got the best of her.

She turned to face Puck. "Noah, if you don't my asking, why exactly are you sitting next to me?"

"Because Finn decided it would be funny to snag my seat, and it was either this spot or the one next to Quinn." Rachel was still confused, which he clearly saw because he elaborated on the subject. "Ex-baby mama or ex-girlfriend. You pick." She nodded in understanding.

Mr. Schuester walked in to greet the glee club. "Good day, New Directions! Since I haven't really assigned anything to you guys, I wanted to see if any of you guys were planning any numbers or anything." Mr. Schuester glanced around the glee club. "Quinn, Sam, do you guys have anything planned?"

Sam looked up as if he was knocked out of concentration. "Uh, no, not really."

"Well, does anyone have _anything_ planned?"

The glee kids exchanged glances, and Rachel realized that, as usual, she was the only one who had multiple ideas and songs planned out. She already had a ballad and a duet sorted out in her mind.

"Guys, you really need to start thinking of ideas. Do you want me to give you an assignment? Because if I have to, I promise that you will not like it." Mr. Schuester was trying to sound as stern as possible, Rachel could tell. "Well, you have the rest of the class period to come up with a song that you plan on singing, and I want to know what it is before class is over."

Rachel went over her song ideas to present to Mr. Schuester in her head. For the ballad, she planned on having herself sing "Anytime" by Kelly Clarkson. The only problem she was having with was her duet. She wanted to do "I See the Light" from the Disney film, Tangled. She would have normally sung it with Finn, but due to their recent break up, that was obviously not going to happen. In her mind, she went through all of the male glee club members. Mike was definitely not up to par with her singing abilities, Sam had Quinn, and there was no way that was happening, and Artie wasn't exactly the voice she had pictured for this song. That left only one person: Noah Puckerman. She knew it wasn't going to be something he wanted to do, but she needed a duet partner. She turned to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, Noah, but I have a question to ask you." He slipped his cell phone into his pocket, which he had been texting on, and turned to face her.

"Yeah? What?" He looked slightly annoyed, but it softened when he noticed the hurt on Rachel's face.

She cleared her throat, and then continued on. "How would you feel about singing a duet with me for the glee club?"

Puck's eyes narrowed and he looked off in the distance as if he was thinking. "Depends."

Rachel waited on him to continue, until he didn't. "Depends on what, exactly?"

"What song it is, and what I get out of it." A smirk spread across his lips and his eyebrow rose in a suggestive way.

She rolled her eyes. "Noah, I'm not like Santana. Now you can choose to sing the duet with me or not. The song is "I Can See the Light" from Tangled. And if you don't agree to do it, I'll just have to recruit Artie."

"Tangled? Is that some kind of porno? Sounds kinky."

"Ugh! No, it is not! It's a Disney movie, and has absolutely nothing to do with sex! Now, are you going to do the duet with me or not?" Rachel was getting frustrated and was just about ready to leave.

His hands came up in defense. "Calm your tits, Berry. I'll do the duet with you, for Christ's sake."

She sighed. "Good. Meet at my house after school. I'll have the music ready for us to practice." She turned to grab her book from her backpack, but before she could even get it unzipped, Puck spoke.

"Well, you ride the bus right? I'll probably beat you to your house, and I am not gonna just wait for you there. Hop in my truck at the end of the day and you can just ride with me. It'll be faster anyway."

Rachel was surprised. "Um, okay. Sure." Her hands reached down to her backpack and grabbed her novel out of the slot. She was supposed to be reading Pride and Prejudice, but she just stared blankly at the pages. Puck had been acting so strange lately. First, he gave her a ride home after school for no reason, then he stares at her during a suggestive song, and now this. She had just brushed it off the first couple of times, and she did the same this time.

The bell rang, signifying the end of the class, and Rachel grabbed her things. The rest of her day went on as usual, just barely keeping her attention. Nothing really excited her like glee did, which made the rest of her day boring.

At the end of the day, she went into the girls' restroom very quickly to look over herself. She brushed down her hair with her fingers and smoothed her blouse and skirt. Wait, why did she even care what she looked like at the moment? It wasn't like she was going on a date or anything. Her hands pushed open the door of the restroom and she headed towards the parking lot. She easily picked out Puck's truck, and walked up the side of it. The passenger side door stuck a little, and she had to tug on it a few times before it popped open. She seated herself on the seat inside his truck, taking in the smell. It smelled like his cologne, whatever it may be, and tobacco. Half of it smelled nice, the other half, not so much. The door slammed loudly, and she pulled her seatbelt on. She turned to look at him. He smirked at her, and then sped out of the parking lot.

Rachel tried to make small talk on the ride to her house, which failed miserably. When they arrived to her house, she reached over to pull the door open, but realized the handle was missing.

She turned to face Puck, but saw that he was crossing in front of the truck. He came over to her side and yanked the door open.

"Sorry 'bout that. The inside door handle came off this morning. I was gonna get it fixed after school, but that didn't really work out."

Her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment, knowing that she was keeping him from fixing the door. She hopped out of the seat and started walking up to her door. She unlocked the door, and gestured for him to go in. He walked in and looked around, and found the sofa. She shut the door and glided over to him.

"I'm going to go up to my room to put away my things and grab the music. I'll be right back." Her backpack was weighing heavily on her shoulders, and she desperately wanted to put it away. She climbed quickly up her stairs and plopped her bag on her bed. It would have to wait until later. The sheet music was just where she had left it this morning; on her vanity table. She picked it up, along with her mini boom box that contained the cd with the background music on it. When she turned, she saw Puck in her doorway, leaning against the door frame. She was caught off guard and uttered a simple, "Um."

He spoke, obviously seeing her surprise. "We usually practice up in your room, so I went ahead and came up here." Before she could offer a rebuttal, he had fallen down onto her bed, making himself comfortable. He pushed her backpack over to make more room.

Rachel set her boom box back down and handed him his piece of the music. She let him look over it for a few minutes, and acted as if she was doing the same. When he looked up, she asked him, "Are you ready, Noah?"

"You say that like we're about to do it or something." That all-too-familiar smirk swept across his face, along with the infamous eyebrow raise.

She rolled her eyes and started the music, and then sat next to him on her bed. The music flowed through her, and she began to sing.

_**All those days, watching from the windows, all those years, outside-looking-in, all that time, never even knowing just how blind I've been. Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight. Now I'm here, and suddenly I see. Standing here, it's all so clear, I'm where I'm meant to be.**_

_**And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted. And at last I see the light, and it's like the sky is new. And it's warm and real and bright. And the world has somehow shifted. All at once, everthing looks different, now that I see you.**_

Her voice fills her room, and then Puck begins his verses.

_**All those days, chasing down a daydream, all those years, living in a blur, all that time, never truly seeing things the way they were. Now she's here, shining in the starlight. Now she's here, and suddenly I know. If she's here, it's crystal clear; I'm where I'm meant to go.**_

Rachel is staring at Puck while he's singing, feeling like he's meaning what he's singing, though he's never heard this song. He turns to face her, and they stare into each other's eyes. He's smiling while he's singing, and she smiles back. She joins in for the chorus.

_**And at last I see the light, and it's like the fog has lifted. And at last I see the light, and it's like the sky is new. And it's warm and real and bright. And the world has somehow shifted. All at once, everthing looks different, now that I see you.**_

Rachel's not really sure why, but singing this song with Puck just feels so… right. The music slows and they finish the song.

_**Now that I see you.**_

They both sit in the silence for a few moments, and then the music starts again. Rachel gets knocked out of her train of thought, and gets up to stop the cd.

"Uh, well, I guess that's it." Why was she so nervous? Usually after she sang, her confidence was higher than ever.

Puck got up off her bed. "Yeah. See you tomorrow." He headed out of her room and down the stairs.

Rachel went after him and caught him before he left. "Noah, thank you for singing this duet with me. I greatly appreciate it."

"Yeah, sure." He smiled and then walked out of her door. She watched him through her window until his truck pulled out away and went down her street.

After Puck left, Rachel's energy was high with excitement. She always got a rush after singing. It gave her more adrenaline than anything. The dishes in the kitchen sink had been sitting there since yesterday, and her dads hardly ever did them, but they were always too busy to really do clean them anyway. It was usually her duty to wash the dishes. She decided to do some manual labor in hopes to get rid of her excess energy. She washed the dishes, put them away, and even vacuumed the living room. It didn't help much.

To help get rid of her energy, she decided to practice on her singing, not that she needed it. Rachel sat down at the piano in the study, running her fingers over the keys. They were worn down from being used every Christmas at their annual gathering for their friends and family. She placed her fingers in position, and began to play. Ever since the glee club's show at Regionals of Journey, she had branched out to learn some of their songs. Surprisingly, she found their songs quite catchy and nice. The words of "Open Arms" rolled off her tongue as she played.

_**Lying beside you, here in the dark, feeling your heartbeat with mine. Softly you whisper, you're so sincere. How could our love be so blind? We sailed on together, we drifted apart, and here you are by my side.**_

_**So now I come to you, with open arms, nothing to hide, believe what I say. So here I am, with open arms, hoping you'll see, what your love means to me. Open arms.**_

_**Living without you, living alone, this empty house seems so cold. Wanting to hold you, wanting you near, how much I wanted you home. But now that you've come back, turned night into day, I need you to stay.**_

_**So now I come to you with open arms, nothing to hide, believe what I say. So here I am, with open arms, hoping you'll see, what your love means to me. Open arms.**_

Rachel felt much better now that she had finished singing. She went up to her room and read a few chapters of Pride and Prejudice for her English class, made dinner for herself, then went to bed.

* * *

><p>It was Thursday, and that meant after school practice for glee. Though she knew they had nothing to really practice, she suspected that Mr. Schuester would make a few people sing what they had prepared for the week. Rachel went through her usual morning routine with pep, as she always did. She got on her bus to head to school after eating a well-balanced breakfast. Her day at school dragged on with absolutely no excitement. Even glee was boring today. A few people sang songs that they obviously hadn't practiced. Brittany and Santana sang a song by Ke$ha that Rachel was unfamiliar with, Mercedes belted "The Voice Within" by Christina Aguilera, though it seemed a little shaky, and she hadn't really paid attention to the other people who performed.<p>

In the practice after school, she volunteered Puck and herself to sing their duet first. While they sang, Rachel couldn't help but notice how Finn stared at them in what seemed like envy or anger. After their song was over, the club clapped, except Finn. He seemed upset, and then he asked if he could sing a song he had prepared.

"I'm not sure if this is good enough for Regionals, but it definitely expresses some of my feelings." With that, he looked at Rachel and Puck, who were sitting next to each other, and began to sing.

_**Shot through the heart, and you're to blame. Darling, you give love a bad name.**_

_**An angel's smile is what you sell. You promise me heaven then put me through hell. Chains of love, got a hold on me. When passion's a prison you can't break free. Whoa, you're a loaded gun. Yeah. Whoa, there's nowhere to run. No one can save me, the damage is done.**_

_**Shot through the heart, and you're to blame. Darling, you give love a bad name. I play my part, and you play your game. You give love a bad name. You give love, a bad name.**_

_**Paint your smile on your lips, blood red nails on your fingertips. A school boy's dream, you act so shy. Your very first kiss was your first kiss goodbye. Whoa, you're a loaded gun. Yeah. Whoa, there's nowhere to run. No one can save me, the damage is done.**_

_**Shot through the heart, and you're to blame. Darling, you give love a bad name. I play my part, and you play your game. You give love a bad name. You give love, oh!**_

_**Oh! Shot through the heart, and you're to blame. Darling, you give love a bad name. I play my part, and you play your game. You give love a bad name. You give love, a bad name!**_

Everyone clapped, including Rachel, though she knew that song was directed toward her. Finn flashed a hurtful smile toward her, and took his seat.

The remainder of the practice was filled with everyone else performing a song for Mr. Schue, except for Artie, and Sam and Quinn. Artie needed the jazz band to help with his number, and Sam and Quinn still needed some practice. They would perform tomorrow during class.

When they were dismissed, Rachel headed down the hall towards the parking lot. She had planned on walking home today, when suddenly she felt her feet slip out from underneath her. She knew that the janitors mopped after school, but that didn't keep her from falling. She landed flat on her back, and her head smacked on the tile. The fall knocked the breath out of her, and before she knew it, the world went black around her.

* * *

><p>Rachel blinked her eyes open, and as soon as she did, she felt a migraine rush to her temples. She reached up to rub her head, and only then did she realize she wasn't in her own house. Through the throbbing pain in her head, she sat up and looked around. She didn't recognize where she was. It was definitely not anywhere she knew. She apparently had been lying on someone's bed, in someone else's bedroom.<p>

And that's when she smelled it. His cologne. The room smelled just like his truck. Just as she realized who the room belonged to, Noah Puckerman walked through the door.


	3. Chapter 3

**This chapter might be a little short compared to the first two. I'm glad you guys are reading! Things are going to start getting very… tense between Rachel and Puck very soon. Make of that what you will! :D  
>Disclaimer: I own nothing! I forgot to put in the last chapter that the song sung by Finn is "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. Songs in this chapter: "Give in to Me" by Leighton Meester and Garrett Hedlund from the movie Country Strong.<strong>

"Hey, you're awake. I was just coming in to check on you." Puck came in shirtless with a pair of worn in blue jeans on. Rachel was still a bit confused and the pain in her head wasn't helping her concentrate.

"Noah, what exactly am I doing in your room, and why are you shirtless?" Rachel shouted, though she wasn't aware of how loud her voice was because of her migraine.

"Dude, be quiet. My mom knows that I have girls over all the time, but she doesn't like it if they wake her up in the middle of the night." He closed his door and sat down next to her. A bottle of aspirin and a glass of water were sitting on the table beside his bed, and he grabbed them to hand to Rachel. "Here, I'm sure your head is killing you."

She shook a few pills into her palm, and swished them down with a swig of water. "Noah, can you please tell me what I'm doing at your house at," she glanced at the clock, "at 2:30 in the morning?"

"You slipped and fell after glee practice today. I happened to see you lying on the floor, and I brought you to my house. Your head was fine; my mom checked it out. I would've taken you home, but I don't think the police would've liked me setting off the alarm in your house."

Rachel drank the last of the water in the glass, and proceeded to ask more questions. "That still doesn't explain why I'm in your room. Or why it's necessary for you to be shirtless." She wasn't sure why, but she kept bringing up the fact that he was only half dressed.

He gave her that famous Puck smirk. "What? My abs distracting you?"

Her cheeks pinked. She couldn't doubt that his physique was impeccable. "No, I'm simply wondering why you feel the need to flaunt yourself."

A chuckled escaped him, and he got up to put a shirt on. "Better? I was shirtless because I'd been sleeping. It's a normal dude thing to sleep shirtless. And you're in my room because I gave you my bed. I figured it'd be more comfortable and the gentleman thing to do." He made air quotes around 'gentleman' when he said it.

Once again, he surprised her. "Oh, well, that was very kind of you. Thank you."

Puck picked up his keys and slipped on his boots. "C'mon. I'll take you home." Rachel followed him to his truck, and they were on their way.

When they arrived, Rachel thanked him once again. "Thanks again, Noah. I really appreciate all you did, even taking me home in the middle of the night." Luckily her dads were gone on a vacation this week. She was glad that she didn't have to deal with them worrying over her. Before she got out of his truck, she reached over and planted a quick kiss on Puck's cheek. She wasn't sure why she had done it, and she felt stupid for doing it. Embarrassed, she rushed out of his truck and ran inside. The door slammed behind her, and she dashed up the stairs to her room. She fell into her bed, thinking over what she had just done.

The only conclusion Rachel could come to was that she acted out of gratitude. Yes, that was it. It was a simple thank you kiss. She didn't have feelings for Noah. That was ridiculous. He was a player and besides, she had just gotten out of a relationship with Finn. Why would she already have feelings for another guy? She wouldn't.

With her head cleared, or so she thought, she dressed into her pajamas and went to sleep.

* * *

><p>When Rachel awoke the next morning, she was thankful it was Friday. She would have the weekend to herself. She went through her daily routine and dressed for school.<p>

The day went on as it usually did, except that Noah Puckerman wasn't at school, which she was somewhat glad for. She didn't have to explain that kiss from last night. Though she knew she would eventually have to.

Her bus ride home lulled on, and when it pulled up in front of her house she hopped off of it with pep. She couldn't wait to have a weekend of relaxation to herself. After the week she had had, she needed it. In fact, she was so ready to get inside that she almost missed the vehicle parked in her driveway. It was Noah Puckerman's. She marched over to it, where he was leaning against the door.

"Hey Berry. 'Sup?" He asked it so nonchalantly, like it was a normal thing for him to randomly be in her driveway.

"'Sup?' That's what you have to say? You're here to ask 'sup'?"

"Nah, not really."

She was waiting on him to elaborate, except that he didn't. "Well, what exactly do you want?"

"I wanna know why you kissed me last night." He raised an eyebrow, and then grinned.

Rachel was hoping to get this over with soon. "It was a simple thank you kiss. That's it. Now if you'll excuse me-"

"That's the excuse you're going with? Wow. Lame reason. I thought you were trying to make Finn jealous again or something."

"Do you think that my world revolves around Finn?" Rachel planted her hands on her hips in defense.

Puck shrugged. "Sure seems like it."

"He and I are broken up, if you haven't noticed. And I have no reason to want him back. It's obvious that he wants nothing to do with me. I'm tired of chasing after boys who won't reciprocate my feelings. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go inside to enjoy my weekend." With that, she turned on her heel and headed inside. Rachel huffed and slammed her door shut. That boy knew the exact way to irritate her, no matter what the situation. She was just about to make a smoothie for her after school snack, when the doorbell rang.

She opened the door and saw Noah Puckerman standing there. Still annoyed, she almost shut the door in his face. Her good manners kept her from it. "What do you want, Noah?" She put her hands on her hips defensively.

"Sorry if I pissed you off about that Finn comment. I was just tellin' the truth." He shrugged.

Rachel scoffed and started to shut the door. Puck's strong hand caught it and held it open. "Look, I actually did have a reason for coming here. I've got an idea for another duet. Wanted to know if you'd do it with me."

She glared with impatience at him. "What song exactly?" Her hand left the door, but she was still cross.

Puck held up an iPod. "Got it right here." He smiled and strolled past her to get inside. Already knowing where to go, he stepped up the stairs to her room.

When she made her way into her room, he already had the iPod hooked up to her boom box, ready to play. They sat and listened to the song "Give in to Me" from the movie _Country Strong, _then looked over the sheet music Puck had brought with him. The whole time this was going on, Rachel became very aware of how close they were sitting, the way he smiled at her, and how it just felt so natural to be around him. She found herself lost in him, looking over every inch of him. His legs, his chest, his shoulders, his hair, his eyes, _his lips. _It was only when he spoke that she was snapped out of her trance.

"So, you ready to sing it?" He looked at her with those sparkling green eyes, and she couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat. What was happening to her? This was Noah Puckerman. He was a player, a delinquent, and definitely not for her.

Without her approval, he started the music. His part came first, which Rachel was thankful for, so that she could collect herself better.

_**I'm gonna wear you down, I'm gonna make you see, I'm gonna get to you, you're gonna give in to me. I'm gonna start a fire, you're gonna feel the heat, I'm gonna burn for you, you're gonna melt for me.**_

As he sang, his eyes never left her. Rachel usually wasn't easily distracted during a song if she was singing. Her mind was focused on performing, except that Noah Puckerman kept his damned green eyes on her. The skin on her arms felt like it was melting off. Rachel regained herself and joined him for the chorus, then her verse.

_**Come on, come on, into my arms. Come on, come on. Give in to me.**_

_**You're gonna take my hand, whisper the sweetest words, and if you're ever sad, I'll make you laugh, I'll chase the hurt.**_

While they sang together in the next part, she felt like not only he meant the lyrics, but she did, too.

_**My heart is set on you, I don't want no one else, and if you don't want me I guess I'll be all by myself.**_

_**Come on, come on, into my arms. Come on, come on. Give in to me.**_

It was now that Rachel felt like he chose this song not just because it was a good duet, but also because he actually wanted her to give in to him. As she sang her next part, she tried as hard as she could to be seductive, just to see how he would react.

_**I'll use my eyes to draw you in, until I'm under your skin. I'll use my lips, I'll use my arms, come on, come on, come on.**_

Puck didn't react much at all. He just kept his eyes on her the whole time.

_**Give in to me. Give in to me. Give in to me.**_

They sang the last lines together, and Rachel couldn't help herself this time. She gave in to him, just like he wanted.

She forced their lips together, not that he struggled against her. Their mouths locked together, and Puck pulled Rachel to where she sat on his lap, making it much easier for him roam his hands over her. As he ran his hands down her back, she laced her fingers together around the back of his neck. She could feel his calloused fingers tracing the skin between her blouse and skirt. His tongue pried her lips apart, and she couldn't help but moan when he did it. Her whole body was on fire. He brought his hands up to go just barely up the back of her blouse, which only made her want him more. As they took a break for air, he said the words, "Fuck, Rachel," though he more breathed it in pleasure that said it. She opened her eyes to look at his.

Suddenly, she was very conscious of where she was sitting, and what had just happened. Her nerves took over, and she scrambled off his lap. She stood up off her bed and smoothed her clothes and hair down. When she turned back around to face Puck, his face had a look of confusion and lust on it. His lips were swollen from their make-out session, and she was sure hers were as well. "Noah, I'm so very sorry. I don't know what came over me. I shouldn't have let that happen. It shouldn't have happened at all. It's probably best if you leave." Rachel opened her bedroom door.

He puffed out a breath of air. "That's it? We practically just sucked each other's faces off after singing that song, and now you're asking me to just leave?"

"Noah, I'm sorry. I apologized. I don't know what came over me. I was just caught up in the moment, and it just happened. I'm so sorry if I wasted your time."

Puck stood up and grabbed his iPod. "You know, I felt bad for you when Finn sang that song yesterday in glee club, but now, I understand why he chose it. It fits you perfectly." With that, he walked out of her room, and left.

She felt bad about what had just happened. How could she not? Rachel realized that she had only felt that way about him because she was caught up in the moment, and was feeling alone. Puck had actually felt something for her. He had feelings for Rachel, and she simply used him. And now, she had not only hurt Finn, her ex-boyfriend, but also Puck, her ex-boyfriend's best friend. And both times it was her fault.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello readers! As always, I'm glad you guys like the story! As long as you keep asking, I'll keep writing!  
>Disclaimer: I own nothing! Sorry this update took so long! Everytime I started to write, I ended up getting busy and had to stop! I'll try to get the next chapter up faster this time.<br>Songs in this chapter: I'm only going to reference the songs, because I want to focus a bit more on the plot. I'll probably use the songs from the Christmas episode/album; just put them in different scenes/situations. I hope that doesn't bother anyone!**

The weekend lulled on for Rachel. After the events of Friday afternoon, she couldn't really enjoy herself. She mostly sat around at watched reruns of I Love Lucy all weekend.

When Monday arrived, Rachel was already dreading going to school. Though she didn't want to, she went to school. She acted like her usual self, going through the day with false pep. She saw every day as a chance to improve her talent. Today, and more recently, she was improving her acting skills by faking a happy persona.

Glee club was… awkward, to say the least.

Rachel showed up late, which was unlike her. It wasn't her fault though. Jacob Ben Israel had caught her in the hallway, bothering her with his stupid online blog. Luckily, Mr. Schuester wasn't in the classroom yet. She took her usual seat, but realized something strange. Puck was still in the seat next to her. After what had happened between them at her house on Friday, she expected him to pull the same act Finn did, and sit far away from her. Though she didn't want to cause anymore tension between them, she was still curious as to why he was sitting next to her. It wasn't as if he didn't know she sat there every day. She had a regular seat that no one ever attempted to occupy.

Mr. Schuester strolled in, and greeted the club. "Okay, so I know that I said I wasn't really going to give you guys an assignment this week, but it's the last week I'll see you guys before the new year. And I would hope everyone is in the holiday spirit, so I've decided we're going to sing some Christmas songs!" No one really clapped or cheered in excitement, but no one objected either. "For the group numbers to perform, I figured we could sing 'We Need a Little Christmas' and a more modern version of 'Jingle Bells'. What do you guys think?"

There were slight nods and mumbles of agreement from around the room. Mr. Schue passed out the sheet music and had everyone look over their parts. He basically left the rest of the class time to everyone to just sing over their parts. But before he was quiet, he had one last thing to say. "As always, if any of you want to perform any songs solo, you're welcome to. Just make sure they are in the theme of the holidays. We'll start rehearsing the songs tomorrow."

Rachel looked over the pieces of music and hummed her part to herself quietly, like she always did.

Puck groaned next to her. "Do you really _need _to do that right next to me?"

She was taken aback by his remark. She knew that he wasn't exactly happy with her, but there was no reason for him to be randomly rude to her. "Yes, I do, Noah. Unlike _some_ people, I like to prepare myself properly by going over the music in my head."

"That doesn't mean you have to hum loudly like a freakin' motor."

"Noah, is there something you want to say? What exactly are you upset about? Is it really my humming or something else?" Rachel knew exactly why he was acting this way. He was still angry about what had happened Friday night, but she wanted to hear him say it. He puffed out a breath of air, and then grabbed her wrist and dragged her out into the hall.

She tugged her arm away from his tight grip. "Noah, what did you force me into the hall with you for?" She demanded.

"Look, unlike everyone else in the freaking club, I like to keep my life a little more private. So I'd rather not make a scene in front of them. And do you wanna know what I'm mad about? I mad that you sang that song with me, and then made out with me. Then after we were practically sucking each other's faces off, you just kicked me out."

"Noah, I told you I was sorry for what happened. I let things get out of hand. It should have never happened."

He threw his hands up in frustration. "That's exactly what I'm talking about! You keep-" Puck was in the middle of shouting when Mr. Schuester stormed out into the hallway.

"Rachel, Puck, what are you guys doing? Get back into the choir room now!" Puck rolled his eyes and marched off in frustration in the opposite direction of the choir room. "Puck, get back here!" Mr. Schue yelled.

"Mr. Schue, why don't you let me go find him and calm him down? I need to discuss a few issues with him anyway." He nodded, though he seemed annoyed. Rachel rushed after him down the tile hall. "Noah, please, wait!" She finally caught up with him, though she had to run to do it.

Her hands grabbed his arm and pulled on him to face her. He looked as if he was ready to punch something or someone. Instead of speaking, he stood there, glaring at her.

"Look, Noah, I understand that you're still angry with me. I don't know how many times I have to apologize. I am sincerely sorry for what happened. I really shouldn't have partaken in such actions when I had just gotten out of a relationship with Finn."

He only seemed to get more annoyed. "Once again, all you can think about is Finn. It's always Finn, Finn, Finn! With you and Quinn! It's always about him. That's all you two care about!" He threw his arms up in frustration and began to walk off again.

Rachel ran in front of him to stop him. "I still don't understand why you're so upset. I thought I knew, but now I'm not so sure. Will you please tell me what has made you so distraught?" She thought he was upset because she practically forced herself on him, but it seemed that something else had him distressed.

"You wanna know why I'm pissed? Is that it? Okay, here's why; because you keep apologizing for making out with me in the first place. You keep say you're sorry, and that you shouldn't have done it."

"Yes, I know that. I don't know what you want from me, Noah."

He chuckled to himself, but he didn't seem happy. "You really don't get the hints I've been dropping, do you? God, you're more thick-headed than I thought."

Hints? What was he talking about? Just as Rachel was about to speak, he closed the space between them and kissed her. Their lips meshed together, and Rachel accidentally let it go on a little longer than she should have. She pulled away, seeing the hurt on Puck's face. She sighed and said, "Look, Noah, I realize I've been completely senseless. You have obviously been showing interest in me, and I've been stupid and haven't noticed until now. And I'm so sorry that I've messed with your feelings in such a way. But as much as I hate to admit it, the pain of my break-up with Finn still lingers with me. I'm just not ready to be with anyone right now, and if you would respect my decision, I would very much appreciate it."

Puck looked a little disappointed at first, but his expression changed. "So, you're saying that you're not ready for anything _right now?"_

"Yes, exactly."

He smiled wickedly. "Okay, I can deal with that. But I'm gonna show you what you're missin'." With that, he turned around and headed back to the choir room.

Rachel stood there in confusion, and then followed slowly behind him.

* * *

><p>After that day, Puck was gone from school all week. No one heard from him at all. Rachel was actually getting worried about him. When Friday came, she decided to bake some cookies to help get her mind off things. The whole time though, she couldn't help but think that Puck was avoiding her, or worse; he had somehow gotten hurt. Her imagination got the best of her, and she called his house.<p>

The phone rang three times before his mother answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Yes, Mrs. Puckerman? This is Rachel Berry. I'm in glee with Noah, and I was wondering where he's been all week. Is it possible that I could speak to him?"

"He's been out sick with bronchitis, so he may not want to talk much. I'll tell him you're on the phone."

Rachel waited a minute or two before she heard a voice on the other end of the line. "Yeah?" It was Puck, though his voice sounded raspy and tired.

"Hi Noah. It's Rachel. How are you feeling?"

"I feel like somebody punched my lungs a bunch. But other than that, I'm okay." He coughed heavily, and she couldn't help but wish she was able to aid him in some way.

"Well, I was worried about you. You've been gone since Monday. I know it may not help much, but I just made some cookies. If you'd like, I'll bring some to you. They may not be medicine, but they taste better than it." She wasn't sure why she felt the need to assist him in his time of sickness.

She heard another cough from the end of the line. "Uh, sure. Whatever you want. Look, I gotta go. My throat is killing me." He coughed a few more times.

"Oh, okay. I'll be over soon." The phone clicked as she ended the call. Rachel gathered the cookies she had just baked and placed them on a sheet of saran wrap. She collected the edges and tied them with a ribbon to secure them. Her bicycle sat in the garage, with a basket on the front of the handlebars. She placed the cookies in the basket, and rode her bike all the way to Puck's house.

Her finger pressed the doorbell at the front of his house. A few moments later Puck answered the door in a pair of dark blue pajama pants. He opened the door and smiled.

"Hey, come in." Rachel stepped inside and followed him to his room.

"Here are the cookies I made." She offered him the package of cookies. He opened the bundle and took a bite of one.

"Mmm. They're good. Thanks." He ate the rest of the cookie and sat on his bed.

Rachel sat on the end of his bed, toying with the hem of her skirt. She wasn't sure what to do now. She had brought him the cookies, and now they just sat on his bed awkwardly.

He began to cough again, and then apologized for it. And then he coughed again.

Standing up, Rachel spoke. "Well, I don't want to cause you any strain, so I'll leave. I can see it hurts to speak." Before she could leave, Puck voiced himself.

"Wait. Before you leave, could you sing a song for me? I'd love to hear you sing."

Rachel hesitated, then sat on the end of his bed again. She began to sing "O Holy Night" to him in his bedroom. The song came to end, and Rachel noticed that he hadn't coughed at all during the song.

"Thanks. That was great." He smiled and Rachel smiled back, though she faltered a bit.

She left his house on her bike, and felt noble for doing her good deed for the day. Especially since it was for a friend. She arrived back at her house, and she realized she had left her phone at home when she went to Puck's house. The screen read that she had one new text message.

The message said, "I think we should talk." It was from Finn.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi guys! As always, I'm glad you're reading! I'm trying to write as fast as possible! I got this one up much faster though! Hope you guys are liking this!  
>ATTENTION! I'm not really much of a planner; I write as I go. So, that means that I come up with the story line and use songs as they fit. If anyone wants to suggest a song or something else for the story, I might incorporate into the fic! Just hit me up with a message!<br>Songs in this chapter: "What Dreams Are Made Of" by Hilary Duff.  
>Disclaimer: I own nothing! Including the songs.<strong>

Rachel read the text message, unsure of what to reply with. She simply stared at the screen of her phone for a few minutes, doing nothing. She finally sent him a message, saying that he could come over to talk. Uncertain if it was a good idea, she prepared herself for his arrival. Swiftly, she cleaned up her dishes from where she had baked cookies earlier. Once she had finished that chore, she sat nervously on the sofa in her living room. After about five minutes, her doorbell rang.

As expected, Finn was standing on the other side of the door, dressed in his usual plaid button-up shirt and jeans. "Hey," he said with a slight smile. "Can I come in?"

She nodded; still a little weary of the situation. Finn walked past her and Rachel shut the front door. They both sat on the sofa. Rachel wondered if Finn felt as awkward as she did.

Finn spoke, breaking the silence. "I tried to call you earlier to see if you were home, but you didn't answer your phone."

"I accidentally forgot it when I left before. I was out and didn't realize until I got back."

"Where were you? You're almost always home. And what made you forget your phone?" A look of confusion crossed his face.

Rachel hesitated before she answered, knowing that he wouldn't react well to her reply. "I-I was going to visit Noah. He's been out sick all week, and I just wanted to make sure he was feeling well… for regionals." She added the last part in hopes that it wouldn't upset him as much.

Finn took in a big breath of air, obviously frustrated. "Clearly you're feeling fine. I'll go." He stood up to leave. Rachel jumped to her feet to stop him.

"Finn, why are you so upset that I went to visit him?"

"Because he's the reason we're broken up. If you hadn't made out with him to get back at me, we'd still be together. And I just don't think it's a good idea for you to be hanging around him all the time." He looked irritated.

She sighed, seeing that not only Puck thought that something was going between them. "Look, Finn, I'm not doing anything with Noah. He's simply a friend. Nothing else. You have nothing to worry about, alright? And as for us, I'm the reason we're broken up. If I hadn't gotten so jealous, I would have never done what I did. And I'm sorry for that. But it doesn't change what I did, and I've come to accept that."

He looked at her as if he didn't recognize her. "Rach, I'm glad you know that you were wrong, but as far as Puck goes, he's bad news. I would know; he's my best friend. I know you say that you're just friends, but I see the way he looks at you. He wants you. And once he gets what he wants, he'll throw you away, just like he did with Quinn. I'm telling you-"

"Finn! What do you not understand about 'he's a friend'? Noah and I talked about this. He knows that I don't want to be with him! So will you quit worrying about it, alright? Now if you don't mind, I have things to do!" She pointed to her front door, signaling him to leave.

He let himself out, feeling embarrassed. Rachel huffed to herself, and looked at the clock. It was almost 6:00. She made herself a salad, since her fathers were still gone on their vacation. They would be back tomorrow sometime. Her salad was soon gone, and she washed and put away her dishes. Still feeling a little on edge, she decided to go up to her room and sing.

Rachel put on her cd of background music and turned up the volume. The music to "What Dreams Are Made Of" from The Lizzie McGuire Movie played. She had loved the movie ever since her childhood.

_**Have you ever seen such a beautiful night? I could almost kiss the stars for shining so bright. When I see you smiling I go "oh oh oh." I would never want to miss this, 'cause in my heart, I know what this is.**_

_**Hey now, hey now! This is what dreams are made of! Hey now, hey now! This is what dreams are made of! I've got somewhere I belong; I've got somebody to love. This is what dreams are made of!**_

_**Have you ever wondered what life is about? You could search the world and never figure it out. You don't have to sail the oceans. No, no, no. Happiness is no mystery, it's here and now, it's you and me, yeah!**_

_**Hey now, hey now! This is what dreams are made of! Hey now, hey now! This is what dreams are made of! I've got somewhere I belong; I've got somebody to love. This is what dreams are made of!**_

_**Open your eye. Shout to the skies! Then I see you smile and I go "oh oh oh." Yesterday my life was duller; now everything's Technicolor!**_

_**Hey now, hey now! This is what dreams are made of! Hey now, hey now! This is what dreams are made of! I've got somewhere I belong; I've got somebody to love. This is what dreams… dreams… This is what dreams are made of!**_

Rachel felt much better after singing, as she always did. She got ready for bed soon after and crawled in bed to go to sleep.

* * *

><p>Christmas break came and passed much too quickly for Rachel. She loved getting to spend time with her dads. But it was time to go back to school, and literally, it was a new year. When she arrived to McKinley High, the halls were buzzing with students. Rachel made her way to her locker, grabbing her books from inside it.<p>

"Hey Berry." Noah Puckerman showed up out of nowhere behind to her, smelling of spearmint gum and his cologne, which she had yet to identify. She turned to see him standing there in a black shirt and his football jacket. "You're lookin' pretty good today." He smirked and stepped closer to her.

Rachel backed up, but bumped into her locker. Puck took advantage of the opportunity and placed one hand on each side beside her. He ran his lips from her collar bone to her neck, then to her jaw, and final to her ear, leaving a trace of heat behind on her skin. She tried to not shiver when his lips touched her, but failed inevitably. He whispered the words, "Did you miss me?" in her ear, and she swore you could hear her heart beat as loud as a snare drum. She said nothing in fear it would come out a whimper. She could practically feel him beaming with pleasure at her reaction.

All of a sudden, he backed away. "Told you I'd show you what you were missin'." With that, he grinned and headed off to his class. Rachel exhaled heavily, shoved her backpack in her locker, and walked as fast as possible to her first period class.

Throughout the day, Rachel had Puck on her mind. She tried as hard as possible to think of other things, but she couldn't help but linger on the feeling of his lips on her skin. It still felt like it was on fire from this morning. When glee club came, she prayed that he had chosen to sit somewhere else, or that someone took his seat next to her.

She walked into the choir room, only to see Noah Puckerman sitting in the seat next to hers. She breathed deeply, and took her seat. Class started, and Mr. Schue droned on about a new year and song ideas, but Rachel didn't really hear any of it. All during the class, Puck was barely tracing his fingers over her knee, drawing little designs and doing just about anything to make her squirm. When she had finally had enough, she snatched his hand from her leg and placed it on his. Rachel didn't realize that Puck had wanted her to do that. He smiled and held on to her hand, refusing to let it go. She jerked and pulled, but his grip was too tight.

Someone cleared their throat from behind them, and Rachel turned to see that Finn was glaring down at the both of them with a disapproving look. Puck saw too, and grinned wickedly before turning back around. Rachel frowned and drew her hand quickly away from his when he loosened his grip. He left her alone for the rest of class time, at least until the bell rang.

When Rachel was almost out the door, he snuck up behind her and grabbed her by the hips. She spun around quickly and pressed her hands against his chest, trying to get free. She was much weaker than him, which made it easy for him to pull her close to him. Her breathing hurried and she tensed up immediately. A smile spread across his face. "Y'know, I think you and I should do another duet. We have great chemistry."

She pushed again, trying to break free of his hold. "I'm not doing anything with you! Definitely not while you're bugging me all the time!" Her pushes did nothing, but she tried helplessly.

"Bugging you? I doubt you were fidgeting during glee because I was bugging you." Her cheeks reddened, and she turned her face away from him. She wasn't about to allow him the satisfaction of seeing her blush. "C'mon. You know you wanna sing a duet with me again. Do it with me." He smirked at those last lines, obviously leaving a second meaning behind them.

Mr. Schuester came to her rescue. "Alright guys. You can be all lovey dovey elsewhere. Get to class."

Puck set her free and Rachel hurried to her next class. Her day went by much too slow after that, and she was thankful when school ended. She boarded her bus and rode it to her stop.

When she got inside, her dads were gone at work. She grabbed her swimsuit, a towel, and flip flops from her closet. Her dads had recently signed her up for swimming lessons at the local Y. Ever since she was young, she had never gotten the chance to learn how to swim. It was a strange fear she had, and her dads wanted her to overcome it. She cycled her bike to the Y, which was only a few blocks away. After about fifteen minutes, she arrived and chained her bicycle to a bike rack outside. She checked in at the front, and then headed to the locker room to change. Once she was in the proper attire, she headed out to the pool area. The outside pool was closed for the winter, so her lessons would take place at inside pool.

She walked over the lifeguard and asked where her instructor was. Just then, a tap was on her shoulder. Of course, Noah Puckerman just happened to be at the pool that day, too. "Noah, would you please leave me alone? I'm not here to horse around."

"Yeah, I know. You're here for swimming lessons." He tugged his swimming trunks up a bit.

She gave him a searching look. "How exactly do you know that?"

That stupid smirk popped up on his face, and Rachel hated that she liked it. "'Cause I'm your swimming teacher. Now c'mon. Get in the water." He stepped into the shallow end and reached a hand out to her.

Rachel crossed her arms nervously. "I-I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Rachel, come on. I'm only here to give swimming lessons. You're the only one I have for this week, and need the money. So just get in the freakin' water!"

She hesitantly stepped into the water and took his hand. He led her into the water, and held her hands until she felt comfortable. The water only came up to the middle of her torso, but she was still afraid.

"You okay?" She nodded as she gulped down the lump in her throat. "Okay then." He showed her the way to move her arms and had her do it. "Okay, now that you can do that, it's time to test you." He picked her up by her sides, just barely out of the water.

"What are you doing?" Rachel kicked her legs, trying to get free.

"Look, I need you to lay on your stomach in the water." He helped her on her stomach and placed one hand on her back and one underneath her stomach to hold her in place. "Now move your arms the way I showed you."

Rachel did so, feeling embarrassed.

"Good. Now start kicking your legs."

She kicked her legs at the same time as she moved her arms. She kept on, with Puck holding her barely in the water. His hands never left her the whole time, and she felt that he wouldn't let her go until she was ready.

After about five minutes of doing the exercise, he put her back on her feet. "Do you think you could do it on your own?" Rachel got nervous, but tried anyway. She flopped into the water and moved her legs and arms, frantically trying to swim. Instead, she fell underneath the water. She wasn't even underwater for two seconds before Puck's strong arms were wrapped around her, bringing her up from the water. Water spurted from her mouth when she coughed, trying to get air back in her lungs. Puck held her in his arms, and placed her on the edge of the tile surrounding the pool. "Are you okay? I shouldn't have let you do that. You could have drowned."

"No, no. It's okay. I'll be fine. Let's do it again." She jumped back in the water. She got on her stomach, and Puck held her in place, having her do the exercise again. When she seemed to be going at a good pace, he slowly lowered her more into the water, and finally let her go. Before she realized it, she was on the other side of the pool. She looked back and saw Puck standing on the opposite side of the pool, smiling back at her. She smiled, and actually swam back to him.

"That was great!" He clapped for her and then got out of the pool.

"What are you doing?"

"That's the end of your lesson for today. It's been an hour." Rachel looked at the clock and noticed it was 5:00.

"Oh, I didn't even notice." She climbed out of the pool and thanked Puck for his help. Before she was about to go to the locker room, he grabbed her hand and pulled her in close. He closed the space between them, and kissed her. It wasn't a long kiss, but it definitely wasn't short. Rachel didn't stop him, and went with it, not caring who saw. He pulled away and smirked.

"Just showing you what you're missing." He turned and walked away, leaving Rachel to linger on what just happened.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! I'm always happy to hear your comments! Glad you like this! I recently got a job, so it may take me a little while to update these, but I will not abandon it! I'll make sure to keep it going!  
>Songs in this chapter: "Hungry Eyes" by Eric Carman.<br>Disclaimer: Glee is not mine, obviously.**

The next day at school, Rachel was greeted at her locker by Puck again. He leaned on the door, keeping her from accessing it.

"Could you move, Noah?" The words came out less powerful than she had planned, and he smirked at her attempt.

"First I've got something to tell ya. Santana's having a party at her house on Friday. Her parents have some left over drinks from their New Year's party, and she convinced them to leave for the weekend. A bunch of people will be there. You should come."

She thought the situation over in her head. A party at Santana's definitely didn't sound like a good idea; knowing her, there would be all sorts of debauchery. "Uh, I'm not sure-"

"You know, you're right. You wouldn't be able to handle it anyways. There'd be lots of alcohol and fun stuff. Nothing you'd be up to doing."

"Wait! I'll be there. You can count on it."

He grinned widely. "Great. I'll pick you up around 7:00." Why had she just agreed to that? She would have never accepted an invitation to a party at Santana's house. She wasn't sure how, but Noah Puckerman knew the exact way to get under her skin and trick her into doing things she didn't want to.

She retrieved her things from her locker and then headed to class. Throughout her day, she tried to think of excuses or ways to get out of going to the party, but every one she came up with only made her sound like a chicken. And Rachel Berry was not a chicken. She eventually gave up and decided she would just have to accept her fate.

In glee club, Mr. Schue explained the assignment again, which she was thankful for, since yesterday her mind had not been on glee. He decided it would be a good idea for everyone to sing a romantic song this week. Rachel rolled her eyes, knowing this wouldn't turn out well for her.

Puck raised his hand. "Mr. Schue? I've got a song. My mom plays it all the time at my house because she loves the movie Dirty Dancing. I think it's a pretty romantic song. Mr. Shuester nodded and gave him the floor. The band began to play, and then Puck's voice resonated throughout the choir room.

_**I've been meaning to tell you, I've got this feelin' that won't subside. I look at you and I fantasize you're mine tonight. Now I've got you in my sights…**_

_**With these hungry eyes. One look at you and I can't disguise; I've got hungry eyes. I feel the magic between you and I.**_

_**I want to hold you so hear me out. I want to show you what love's all about. Darlin' tonight. Now I've got you in my sights**_

_**With these hungry eyes. One look at you and I can't disguise; I've got hungry eyes. I feel the magic between you and I.**_

_**Now I've got you in my sights with these hungry eyes. Now did I take you by surprise? I need you to see this love was meant to be.**_

It was blatantly obvious who he was singing the song to, and he definitely had what the song said; hungry eyes. Rachel couldn't tear her eyes away from him the whole time, and he kept her gaze all during the song. Puck took his seat next to her, smiling wide. Artie sang a song that Rachel didn't recognize, and Santana sang "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis.

Class ended, and Rachel grabbed her things to head to her next class. Finn caught her just as she was in the hallway.

"What the hell was that about?" His eyes were full of anger and jealousy.

"What? Puck? He simply sang a song. That was it." She brushed it off, but knew better that Finn wouldn't.

"No, he's been acting like he's in love with you all week. He won't tell me anything, and he's supposed to be my best friend. Rach, please tell me what's going on."

She was stunned. He still thought that there was something going on between her and Puck. Well, there was, but only from his end. "Finn, I already told you; Puck and I aren't together. And besides, why should it matter to you anymore? We're broken up, and I'm over you. So you need to get over me and butt out of my life!" Instead of storming off like she normally would have, she stood her ground, waiting to see his reaction.

At that moment, Puck came out of the choir room. He noticed them. "What's going on?"

Finn spoke before Rachel could. "I'll tell you. You and Rachel are both lying to me. I wanna know what's going on between you two, now!"

"Dude, calm your balls."

"No! I won't let you guys lie to me! I'm not blind!"

"Finn! I don't love you anymore!" It was out before Rachel could take it back. She immediately wished she hadn't said it. It was true, but there it was uncalled for her to bring it up right now. Finn turned to her with a wounded look on his face.

"Is that true?"

She hesitated. "Yes, it is. Now please, leave. We've caused a big enough scene already."

He turned slowly and busted between Rachel and Puck, headed away from them.

Rachel wasn't sure why, but she started crying. It wasn't a frantic cry, like when Finn broke up with her, but just a silent weeping. She assumed it was because she had finally let go of Finn, once and for all. And although it felt good to wipe her hands of him, she remembered all the good times they had together.

Before she knew it, Puck was holding her against him. She wiped the tears from her face, not wanting to get them all over his shirt. His firm hands rubbed her back in a slow, comforting manner. He didn't say a word. He just held her in silence. Tears stopped falling from her eyes, but she kept her face buried in his chest, enjoying the comfort of his strong embrace.

In her mind, she gave in to her feelings for Puck. She knew that there was something between them, though she wasn't going to let him know that. She didn't want to act upon her emotions. Her classwork and glee was all she wanted to concentrate on. And she just simply wasn't ready to jump into something with him.

Her arms pushed herself away from him. "I have to get to class." She turned and strolled away, leaving him alone in the hall.

* * *

><p>Puck continued with his same antics for the rest of the week. It went by fairly fast, and Rachel got ready for the party at Santana's house after school on Friday. She slipped on a navy blue and white polka-dotted dress that cut off just above her knees. Though she normally didn't wear makeup, she applied a small amount of mascara to her lashes and swiped on a bit of lip gloss. Her curling iron had heated up, and she wrapped her hair loosely around it, creating soft waves. Just as she finished perfecting her hair, she heard a honk from outside. She spurted on a little perfume, grabbed her house keys, and ran out to Puck's truck.<p>

"Lookin' good, Berry." He put his truck in gear and sped off. While they were on the road, Rachel couldn't help but wonder how they were going to get back from the party.

"Uh, Noah? I was just wondering, who's going to drive us back from the party tonight? I assume you'll be drinking, and well, I can't drive a stick shift."

He looked at her sideways. "Well, if I had known that, I wouldn't have offered to drive." A sigh left his lips, as if he was contemplating what to do.

Obviously, he wasn't sure what to do. "Look, I understand that this will hinder your plans for tonight. I'll just get a ride home from someone else."

He tried to argue, but they had arrived to Santana's. Rachel jumped out of his truck and walked up to the door. He followed behind her, and a drunken Brittany answered the door after Rachel had rang the doorbell. She slurred a phrase and walked off happily. Rachel stepped inside the house, and she could barely hear anything over the sound of the pounding music. The rest of the glee club was there, along with a few Cheerios and jocks. On the kitchen counter sat multiple plastic red cups filled with alcohol. She was tempted to take one, but sought out to find a ride home before she dared drink. It turned out that Kurt was being the designated driver for multiple people at the party, and he offered to drive her home.

Once she had dealt with that situation, she wasn't really sure what to do. It seemed that almost everyone at the party was drinking or already drunk. It didn't look like much fun, seeing everyone act like fools. Rachel sat on the stairs, watching people dance around. A Cheerio and a jock were making out a few stairs up from her, and she hoped that they found a room soon. She played with the hem of her skirt, trying to pass the time. She wasn't sure how long she had sat on the stairs. The couple making out had left and she had seen Brittany go dancing by about three times. Before she knew it, Puck was squished up next to her.

"Heeeeyyyyy Rachel. You look pretty hot right now. Why don't you come dance with me?" His words drawled from his mouth, and his breath reeked of alcohol.

She pressed on Puck's chest, moving his face away from hers. "Noah, I appreciate the compliment, but I think I'm just going to head home. I'm not really enjoying myself."

"No no no no no! C'mon. Just come dance with me. One time. Pleeeeeeeeease!" He begged and stood up, grabbing her hand. Puck yanked on her arm, and she stood unwillingly.

"Fine. I'll dance with you once, and then I'm going home." She followed him to the living room, where the music resonated from. He handed her a cup full of an alcoholic mixture. "Noah, I didn't ask for a drink."

"Just drink it! Let loose and have some fun. Or are you too much of a good girrrl?" His words slurred, but they still had the same effect of making her do things she hadn't planned to. She slurped down some of the liquid, feeling it burn as it went down. She took another sip, feeling less of a burn the second time around. Taking small sips, she finished off the cup, and she felt a buzzing in her head.

A new song blasted over the speakers, and Rachel swayed her hips with the music. The alcohol was obviously taking an effect on her actions, but she found that she didn't care as much as she should. Puck's hands landed on her waist, and all of a sudden, they were chest to chest. They danced together until the song ended, and Rachel stepped away from Puck to get herself another drink. She gulped it down quickly, feeling the liquid confidence run through her. The world blurred a little, and she found herself back in the living room, dancing against Puck again. The second cup of alcohol loosened her up even more, and she could have sworn she let Puck kiss her, but she wasn't really sure on the matter.

Somehow she had another glass of the unknown mixture in her hand, and she was sitting with Puck on the couch. He kept blubbering about how she looked, and Rachel found that she was on her third cup of alcohol. In her mind, she was concerned for a moment, but she looked down and saw she had already finished off the liquid. Puck dragged her off the couch and danced with her to the beating music. Rachel could feel her stomach becoming queasy, and so she rushed away from him, trying to find a restroom.

She opened the door to a bedroom, which looked like it was Santana's. There was a small trash can in the corner of the room. Rachel didn't have much of a choice, and she vomited into the can. Her throat burned from the alcohol coming back up. Once she had finished puking, she didn't want to go anywhere. The alcohol was still affecting her thought process, and she climbed onto the bed in the middle of the room. She felt slightly better from vomiting, and she lay on the bed, unmoving. The door to the room sprang open, with Puck coming through. He said something, but Rachel wasn't sure what it was. Just as she was about to get up, the world went black.

* * *

><p>Rachel woke the next morning in her room, still wearing her clothes from last night. She sat up on her bed, and immediately fell back onto her pillow. Her head pounded from the hangover, and she hated herself for what she did at the party. The alcohol was obviously a bad idea, and Rachel was regretting it now. Somehow, she found her way to the bathroom, where she puked up the remnants of last night's antics. She flushed them down the toilet, and rinsed her mouth with mouthwash.<p>

Down in the kitchen, she toasted a bagel and swiped a layer of jelly on top. She was grateful her dads were gone at work, which is where they usually were. Rachel spent the rest of her day relaxing, trying to regain herself from the alcohol. She had fallen asleep on the sofa in the living room sometime during the afternoon, and she woke up only to make a small dinner, which consisted of a cheese sandwich and crackers.

Feeling somewhat better, she went upstairs to her room and flipped on some music. An unknown pop song played over the speakers, and Rachel dressed into her pajamas, feeling tired. She got into bed and fell asleep within five minutes, thankful that tomorrow was Sunday.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey everyone! I'm so sorry this took so long to update! I've been swamped with the new job I got, and I just haven't had time to sit down and write. I hope you guys still like it and keep reading! Also, sorry if it's kinda short. I wrote this in about an hour or two, and I really wanted to get a new chapter up for you guys, so that's why it's really short.  
>Disclaimer: I own nothing!<strong>

"Noah Puckerman, you give my algebra book back to me _now!_" Rachel stomped her foot on the floor of her bedroom, where Puck was holding her algebra book high above her head. He smiled wickedly, and only held the book higher out of her reach.

"Jump for it." His smile spread wider across his face. She pursed her lips, and leaped for the book, reaching as high as possible. She didn't even come close.

Rachel sighed, defeated. "Noah, I wouldn't have asked you to come over if I knew you were just going to horse around. Now please, return my algebra book so that we may finish our homework." It was Sunday, and Rachel had been planning on baking cookies for the glee club, but the party on Friday had had a lasting effect on her yesterday. Which meant she didn't do her homework that was due tomorrow. Because Puck had been the one to convince her to go to the party, she corralled him into coming over to finish their homework together.

"You didn't 'ask' me to come over, you practically forced me. Not that I mind it." Ever since the party, Puck had been much more open with flirting with Rachel. It didn't bother her really, seeing as he had been doing nothing but flirt with her lately, but he seemed more persistent about it.

She gulped slightly, unsure of why. "Noah, did I do something to make you more tenacious with your tactics?" Puck's eyebrow rose, which obviously meant she had confused him. "What I mean is, what has caused you to be so much more open about flirting with me?"

"Well, you did. At Santana's party."

She racked her brain for a moment where she could have given him the idea that she wanted something more than friendship between them. All that came to her was drunk dancing and pounding music. "What exactly did I do at Santana's party?"

He grinned widely at her. "Besides get wasted? You kissed me. And I'm not talking some peck on the lips. You pretty much tried to steal my tongue straight outta my mouth."

Rachel's cheeks flushed when she heard about the way she had acted on Friday. "What else happened at the party?" Now that she thought about it, she couldn't recall much of anything from it.

"Hmm, well, you kissed me, you drank some more, then went up to Santana's room and puked. I came in just as you passed out on her bed. You were pretty trashed, so I drove you home and-"

"You drove me home? Noah, you had been drinking that night, too! You could have gotten in a wreck!"

"Berry, calm down. I had, like, half a cup of that stuff. It wasn't anywhere near enough to get me drunk. Anyways, after I got you home, I carried you to your door, then you mumbled something about a spare key. I found it, got in, and put you in your bed. Then I left." He shrugged and sat next to her on the bed.

She couldn't believe what a fool she had made herself look like in front of him. "I apologize for the way I acted at the party. I must have been a complete embarrassment. Now, let's finish our math."

They worked together on their papers, helping each other along through the problems. Puck was surprisingly good at math, which made the work go by much faster.

Rachel walked him downstairs to the front door and apologized once more before he left. "Noah, I really do feel like such an idiot for being so impulsive at the party. It really was unlike me to act in such a manner."

"Ah, it's no biggie. I knew you wanted a piece of Puckzilla anyways."

She chuckled a bit to herself at his self-proclaimed nickname. "I never said I 'wanted a piece' of you."

He leaned on the door frame, looking like he enjoyed toying with her. "You didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes. And besides, you wouldn't have made out with me if it wasn't the truth."

"I was drunk, Noah. You can't blame me for the actions that the alcohol made me do."

"I'm not talking about at the party. I'm talking about that night when I came over to practice with you and you tackled me. It's alright; I know it's hard to resist." He smirked, obviously pleased with himself.

Baffled, she insisted on him leaving. "I think you need to get home now, Noah. I have other things to do, and this conversation has no evidence to back it up anyways."

"It only bothers you so much because you know it's true. But whatever. I'll see you and your hot little Jewish ass on Monday at school." Before she could comment, he turned and headed out to his truck. Rachel forcefully shut the door, and marched up to her room, where she put on the background music to "I Caught Myself" by Paramore. The song resonated through her room, and she began to belt out the words.

_**Down to you, you're pushing and pulling me down to you, but I don't know what I...**_

_**Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself from saying something that I should have never thought. Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself rom saying something that I should have never thought of you.**_

_**Of you... You're pushing and pulling me down to you, but I don't know what I want. No I don't know what I want.**_

_**You got it, you got it. Some kind of magic. Hypnotic, hypnotic. You're leaving me breathless. I hate this, I hate this. You're not the one I believe in, with God as my witness.**_

_**Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself from saying something that I should have never thought. Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself from saying something that I should have never thought of you.**_

_**Of you... You're pushing and pulling me down to you, but I don't know what I want. No I don't know what I want.**_

_**Don't know what I want, but I know it's not you. Keep pushing and pulling me down, when I know in my heart it's not you.**_

_**Hmmm... Ohh..**_

_**Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself from saying something that I should have never thought.**_  
><em><strong>Now when I caught myself, I had to stop myself from saying something that I should have never thought of you. I knew, I know in my heart it's not you. I knew, but now I know what I want, I want, I want. Oh no, I should have never thought!<strong>_

The song finished, and she walked downstairs to bake the cookies she had planned on for the glee club.


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello readers! I hate to say this, but I'm just not having much time to write this. I can either put it on hiatus pretty soon, or end it soon. I haven't decided. I'll write another chapter after this one, and possibly one more, but I'm not sure about after that. So, hiatus or end it? And yes, I know this chapter is insanely short. Sorry about that.  
>Songs in this chapter: "Almost Paradise" from Footloose.<br>Disclaimer: Glee is not mine!**

She wasn't sure what had happened overnight, but somehow, Rachel couldn't wait to see Puck on Monday. She had spent extra time fixing her hair that morning, wore her favorite dress, and even put on a little mascara. The bus dropped her off in front of McKinley High School, where she hopped off the steps happily. She pushed her way through the heavy doors to the halls of McKinley. Puck was standing at his locker, ramming the books inside.

Rachel quickened her pace, heart fluttering with excitement. She was going to do it. She was going to kiss Noah Puckerman. "'Sup, Berry?" Puck said. Rachel closed the gap between them and planted a kiss on his mouth. He didn't seem surprised like she thought he would be, considering he kissed her back with great power. She pulled away from him, not wanting to cause more of a scene. Neither of them said a word to each other. A smile spread across both of their faces, and Rachel's soon left.

Over Puck's shoulder, she saw Finn standing not far away, a look of pain on his face. Rachel left Puck to talk to Finn, who was storming down the hall away from her. "Finn, wait! Please, just talk to me!"

He spun around to face her. "Why? I don't care what you have to say anymore! You obviously don't listen to me, so why should I listen to you?" Finn yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Finn, I can't help what I feel. Why are you acting in such a manner? If you wanted to go back to Quinn, I wouldn't try to stop you."

"I'm trying to keep you from getting your heart broken by Puck!" At this, Puck came around the corner, standing behind Rachel.

She looked down at the floor and felt Puck's calloused hand grasp hers. "The only one who has ever broken my heart is you, Finn." With that, she turned and left with Puck.

* * *

><p>Glee club came, and Rachel couldn't wait. It was her favorite class, more so since Puck was in it. Mr. Schuester droned on about how he had heard of the party from Friday. He tried to lecture the glee club, but it was clear that the speech as going in one ear and out the other. Once he finished, Rachel spoke up, proposing that she and Puck sing a song to prove that they were still working towards Regionals.<p>

"Puck, would you join me?" He picked up his guitar and began to play, the jazz band joining in. He sang the first two lines, with Rachel coming in afterwards.

_**I thought that dreams belonged to other men. 'Cause each time I got close, they'd fall apart again. I feared my heart would be in secrecy. I faced the nights alone. Oh, how could I have known that all my life I only needed you?**_

_**Oh, almost paradise. We're knocking on Heaven's door. Almost paradise. How could we ask for more? I swear that I can see forever in your eyes. Paradise. Yeah, it's paradise.**_

_**It seems like perfect love's so hard to find. I'd almost given up; you must have read my mind. And all these dreams I saved for a rainy day, they're finally coming true. You know, I'll share them all with you, 'cause now we hold the future in our hands.**_

_**Oh, almost paradise. We're knocking on Heaven's door. Almost paradise. How could we ask for more? I swear that I can see forever in your eyes. Paradise.**_

_**And in your arms salvation's not so far away. It's getting closer, closer every day.**_

_**Almost paradise. We're knocking on Heaven's door. Almost paradise. How could we ask for more? I swear that I can see forever in your eyes. Paradise… Paradise… Paradise.**_

Finn got up and left the room. Rachel watched him leave, sorry that she was the cause of his pain. But _he_ had broken up with _her_. _He_ had broken _her_ heart. Didn't she deserve to be happy after everything? Even if that meant Finn being unhappy? No. She had to make him understand. She would talk to him after school.

* * *

><p>The day ended, and Puck offered to take Rachel home. She accepted, of course, but told him to wait for her while she spoke to Finn. She was determined to take away his pain. She couldn't stand being the reason he was so unhappy. Rachel spied him walking towards his car. Before he reached it, Rachel sprinted towards him.<p>

"Finn!" He twisted to see her, but turned back around. She had caught up to him. "Finn, wait. Please."

He turned, a look of pain and disgust on his face. Not a word crossed his lips.

"Finn, I know you're upset, but you have to understand. I like being with Noah. More than I should. And I wouldn't know it if you hadn't broken up with me. Yes, you broke my heart. But life goes on. I made peace with what happened between us. Now you have to."

He stared at her, unmoving.

Before she knew what was happening, Finn grabbed her, and kissed her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Long time no see! Sorry it's been soooooo long. I've had some crazy stuff going on in my life right now. My great grandpa just recently died, so I'm dealing with that, plus I'm stressing over college stuff. Anyways, this is the final chapter. I hope you all like happy endings, because that's pretty much what's gonna happen with this. Well, except for maybe Finn. He'll still be pissy but whatevs. I don't care for him. OOPS I MEAN WHAT? Anyways, thanks to all my readers!  
>Songs in this chapter: "Anytime" by Kelly Clarkson (Haha, yes, I did get the story name from this song.)<br>Disclaimer: I own nothing! Glee is not mine!**

Rachel fought against Finn as he kissed her forcefully. Her scrawny arms were able to push him away since he wasn't being too forceful, but that didn't make her any less angry. "Finn! What are you doing?" she screamed. Finn had just flat out kissed her for no reason, and Rachel was _pissed. _ Had this happened a few weeks ago, she probably would have melted right there in his arms, but things had changed now. She had changed. Her need to be with him had been replaced by Puck.

"Dude! Back up off her!" Rachel heard Puck's voice coming from behind her. Her body turned swiftly to see him running across the parking lot, closing in quickly. He had obviously seen what had just happened between her and Finn. Once he reached them, Puck placed himself between Finn and Rachel. "What the fuck is wrong with you dude?"

"Dude, just walk away. I'm talking to Rachel, not you." Finn was quiet, unlike his usual self when he was angry. He sounded more hurt right now than anything, and Rachel could tell. She tried to speak, but was interrupted by Puck's yelling.

His voice echoed in Rachel's ears. "Didn't look like you were "talking" to her! Looked like you were forcing yourself on her. Now leave-" Puck's words were disturbed by Rachel's voice.

"Noah, please!" she yelled. He turned to face her, a confused look on his face. "Noah, I can take care of myself. Please, just let me talk to Finn alone. I promise, I'll be fine." His eyes searched hers for a moment.

Puck shook his head. "I don't think so. I'll let you two talk, but I'm staying right here just in case Frankenteen here can't control himself." With that, he stepped to the side, watching.

Rachel took a deep breath before speaking. "Finn, I'm sorry you're hurt by my choice to be with Noah. I wish I could make you feel better somehow, but I can't. I don't know what you want from me, since you're the one who broke up with me. You chose to let me go. Now you have to actually let me go." Turning towards Puck, she took his hand and walked towards his truck.

Once they were sitting inside his truck, Rachel turned to face him and smiled. She leaned forward to plant a kiss on his lips. "I have a song to sing for you once we get to my house." Rachel had been planning on singing the song to him in front of the whole glee club, but she made a quick decision that it would be better just one-on-one. It would be much more private and special this way. Puck started his truck and pulled away from McKinley, driving to Rachel's.

* * *

><p>Rachel had Puck sitting on her bed in front of her. It was obvious he was growing impatient, because he kept playing with his fingers and messing with her bedspread. She took a few breaths in and out before hitting the button on her cd player. She listened to the music play, and began to sing, staring into Puck's eyes.<p>

_**Anytime you feel like you just can't hold on, just hold on to my love, and I'll help you be strong. But you're so afraid to lose, and baby, I can't reach your heart. I can't face this world that's keeping us apart. When I could be the one to show you everything you missed before. Just hold on now, 'cause I could be the one to give you more, and let you know.**_

_**Anytime you need love, baby, I'm on your side. Just let me be the one, I can make it all right. I can make it all right. Anytime you need love, baby, you're in my heart. I can make it all right.**_

_**And I look into your eyes, and I feel it coming through. I can't help but want you more than I want to. So baby, take all of your fears, and cast them all on me. 'Cause all I ever wanted was just to make you see. That I could be the one to give you all that you've been searching for. Just hold on to my love, and baby, let me give you more. You know…**_

_**Anytime! I'm on your side. Just let me the one, I can make it all right. I can make it all right. Anytime you need love, baby, you're in my heart. I can make it all right.**_

_**Now there's no way out, and I can't help the way I feel. 'Cause baby, all the fire, and I been waiting right here. You know my love is real, baby, yeah.**_

_**Anytime you need love, baby, I'm on your side. You know, just let me be the one, I can make it, I can make it all, make it all, make it all right. Anytime you need love, baby, you're in my heart. I can make it all right.**_

Rachel didn't belt out the last note, but simply sang it almost as a whimper. Puck didn't say a word. He smiled up at her and reached out to grab her hand. She took it, and he pulled her on top of him and kissed her with all his might. Rachel sighed into the kiss, knowing that she belonged in Puck's arms.


End file.
